January 12, 2016
Dr. Zelia Wiley Appointed Interim Associate Provost of Diversity
Kansas State University publicly announced Dr. Zelia Wiley as their Interim Associate Provost for Diversity on January 5. In this role Dr. Wiley will serve as a university advocate promoting enhanced racial and cultural diversity and an inclusive campus climate that fosters academic excellence and understanding among diverse groups. She will also direct the operations of the Office of Diversity and serve as a member of the Provost's Executive Team and the President's Advisory Council.
Dr. Wiley has served as the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Director of the Diversity Programs Office in the College of Agriculture and K-State Research and Extension since 2003. In those positions she was responsible for recruitment and retention programs of ethnic minorities within the COA and worked to increase the minority ethnicity application pool in K-State Research and Extension. Since assuming her role in 2003, multicultural student enrollment has increased by more than 400% in the COA.
She is the chair of the Black Faculty and Staff Alliance, a member of the K-State President's Commission on Multicultural Affairs and local chapter adviser to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. She also is the adviser to the K-State student chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, National Resources and Related Sciences and in 2007 she served as president for the national group. In 2011, Wiley received the Commerce Bank Presidential Award for enhancing diversity at Kansas State University.